Six Pups in the Snow: A Direwolves Reread

[Franziska]

Great Job Harlaw you picked up many things I haven't thought about.

In the yard below, Rickon ran with the wolves.

Bran watched from his window seat. Wherever the boy went, Grey Wind was there first, loping ahead to cut him off, until Rickon saw him, screamed in delight, and went pelting off in another direction. Shaggydog ran at his heels, spinning and snapping if the other wolves came too close. His fur had darkened until he was black, and his eyes were green fire. Bran’s Summer came last. He was silver and smoke, with eyes of yellow gold that saw all there was to see. Smaller than Grey Wind, and more wary. Bran thought he was the smartest of the litter. He could hear his brother’s breathless laughter as Rickon dashed across the hard-packed earth on little baby legs.

I love this scene with the direwolves interacting with each other.

Grey Wind, the fastest wolf, comes first he’s running ahead and is watching little Rickon. He’s in the same position like Robb as protector of the pack/family. But I agree with you Harlaw, Grey Wind’s speed definitely foreshadows the fast rise and fall of Robb the King.

Behind Rickon is Shaggy following. IIRC this is the first time we actually learn Shaggy’s coloring. Now he’s black with eyes like green fire. I too think of wildfire (I guess everyone, who ever read the whole series, thinks immediately of it), and it seems to fit. Shaggydog IS the wildest wolf of the litter as we will see many times in the future chapters. Somehow I also have to think of Ned’s brother Brandon, when I read the description of Shaggydog. Brandon was called the wild wolf and it seems he was a ferocious guy, even though we don’t know all about him. Might Rickon become the new Brandon?

Last but not least comes Summer. Silver and smoke with eyes of yellow gold (shining like a sun, according to Bran III). This reminds me somehow of the sunrise on a sunny summerday, when the mist is rising from the grass and starts to clear (Something I saw often in the village I grew up). Summer is smaller than Grey Wind but according to Bran smarter and I think that also fits for Bran himself. He may be young and frail but he is the one, who actually listens to Osha’s warning, who is aware of other dangers.

...mirrors Bran’s actions and Bran's criticism of Robb’s behavior throughout the chapter. I think even more than Cat, Bran sees through Robb the Lord and sees Robb the child.

I like that note. Yes I think you’re right. But I think it’s not so unusual that a younger sibling is able to see what parents don’t want to see. I guess as a parent you want to support your child so you don’t point out his/her flaws, while as brother/sister you don’t have the same responsibility so your critic has a different impact.

A little bit OT (and maybe silly) but the Stark siblings and their wolves somehow remind me of some kind of superhero-group, like the Fantastic Four or the Avengers.

Ghost & Jon: The leader and strongest (given Jon’s berserker strength)

Grey Wind & Robb: The fastest runner and second in charge

Lady & Sansa: The diplomat and bait

Nymeria & Arya: The spy and in charge of the dirty work

Summer & Bran: The genius/mastermind

Shaggy & Rickon: The young wild, who somehow manages to save the day (as possible heir to Winterfell)

The crow had tricked him into flying, but when he woke up he was broken and the world was changed. They had all left him, his father and his mother and his sisters and even his bastard brother Jon.

...

Only Robb and baby Rickon were still here, and Robb was changed. He was Robb the Lord now, or trying to be. He wore a real sword and never smiled. His days were spent drilling the guard and practicing his swordplay, making the yard ring with the sound of steel as Bran watched forlornly from his window.

As mentioned by others and in the discussion of the last chapter, it seems that all Starks have become “lone wolves” at this time in the story.

Ned is alone among the Small Council, Sansa and Arya may be both in KL jet still they are alone, Cat is travelling without family on the Kingsroad and Jon’s at Castle Black. And in Winterfell?

Bran may have his brothers with him yet still he feels alone. He’s no longer able to share the time with his siblings and friends like he did before the fall. Robb has the burden of running the household in Winterfell and Rickon is a little boy, who lost all his companions.

And it will become even worse for them in the future.

Bran could sense the anger in the hall the moment Hodor carried him through the doors.

Bran senses the feelings of the people in the hall. Might this be an early sign of his ability as greenseer?

The door to the yard flew open. Sunlight came streaming across the hall as Rickon burst in, breathless. The direwolves were with him. The boy stopped by the door, wide-eyed, but the wolves came on. Their eyes found Lannister, or perhaps they caught his scent. Summer began to growl first. Grey Wind picked it up. They padded toward the little man, one from the right and one from the left.

“The wolves do not like your smell, Lannister,” Theon Greyjoy commented.

I like your summary of Bran’s feelings Harlaw. I never saw it that way. Yes Bran is upset about different things, but it never seemed to me that he felt anger for Tyrion (unlike Jon in a previous chapter, who WAS angry about Tyrion’s words).

I thought, that maybe it really is just Tyrion’s smell Summer doesn’t like but not Tyrion himself. Summer was at the tower when Bran fell, so he might have smelled Jaime’s odor on Bran. Even though they are not the same person, Jaime and Tyrion have the same parents and maybe they smell alike. I don’t know if that’s possible, maybe someone with knowledge of biochemistry could say something about that.

Summer snatched table scraps from Bran’s hand, while Grey Wind and Shaggydog fought over a bone in the corner. Winterfell’s dogs would not come near the hall now. Bran had found that strange at first, but he was growing used to it.

This scene reminds me somehow of Sansa, when she was feeding Lady from the table. I imagine dinnertime was an interesting thing in the Stark-household during the time from Bran I to Jon I. Six kids and six direwolves at one table, I wonder how much food “disappeared” during dinner. :cool4:

[Seams]

"the wolves came on. Their eyes found Lannister, or perhaps they caught his scent. Summer began to growl first. Grey Wind picked it up. They padded toward the little man The wolves do not like your smell, Lannister, Theon Greyjoy commented. Perhaps its time I took my leave,' Tyrion said. He took a step backwardand Shaggydog came out of the shadows behind him, snarling. Lannister recoiled, and Summer lunged at him from the other side. He reeled away, unsteady on his feet, and Grey Wind snapped at his arm, teeth ripping at his sleeve and tearing loose a scrap of arm.

Now we get to the centerpiece of the chapter, why do the wolves attack? Why is Summer the first to growl ....

When Bran is around Tyrion, he doesnt feel comfortable. Tyrions questioning about the fall doesnt help Bran feel more at ease. Also Bran doesnt believe Tyrion right away that the saddle will enable him to ride, comparing Tyrion to the lying Three-Eyed Crow. It doesnt help that even Tyrion is doing something nice, he still acts a bit jerkish. Add Summers (and Brans) naturally wary behavior to the mix, and I think its plausible that Bran and Summers feelings on their own give enough reason for Summer to attack Tyrion with Grey Wind and Shaggy joining due to the pack mentality as well as picking up on the dislike towards Tyrion too.

Could the attack be a warning about the upcoming war between the Starks and Lannisters? Yes. Is it a warning that Tyrion is not a Stark ally? Yes. Is it a sign that Tyrion is not really the nice guy he appears to be? Yes. These all fit. So the attack could be warning of the threat Tyrion presents.

One theory alternate theory Ive thought about is that the wolves attacked to prevent Tyrion from leaving, preventing the encounter at the Crossroads Inn. If the delay had been long enough, Cat might have been able to send word in time for Tyrion to be kept prisoner at Winterfell.

Something that stood out to me on this reread of the attack was that the only damage Tyrion sustained was a scare and a torn sleeve. But by now, weve already seen a direwolf kill a man, so in comparison, the wolves attack seems comparably tame. I think there was time for the direwolves to seriously injure or kill Tyrion before they were called off, but they didnt? Why? So after all this analysis, I feel Ive wound up with more questions than answers.

'No doubt they mistook me for dinner.' Lannister bowed stiffly to Bran. 'I thank you for calling them off, young ser. I promise you, they would have found me quite indigestible. And now I will be leaving, truly.'

Thank you for a good analysis of this meaty direwolf chapter. This discussion of the wolf animosity toward Tyrion is particularly interesting to me and I'm glad I'm not the only one who hasn't fully sorted out the reason the direwolves instinctively dislike Tyrion.

I am struck by a couple of the details in the passage you site - Theon says that the direwolves don't like Tyrion's smell. Great literary irony and/or foreshadowing here, as we know that Theon will soon be the smelliest guy in Westeros, and proud of it. What does it mean to have a bad smell in GRRM's world? We also know that Tyrion's father will have a famously bad smell after his death - the stench of Tywin's corpse is the most dominant point in the description of his memorial service. I can recall two important points about Tyrion and smell: Tyrion was in charge of drains and cisterns at Casterly Rock - something his father assigned to him instead of letting him travel; Tyrion also loses part of his nose in battle. People tell Tyrion he is like Tywin - does that mean that, to a direwolf, he smells like his father? How is it that Tyrion undertakes the cistern and drain duty, performs the task well, and (at least when telling of this role from his youthful past) never complains about the filth and stench? I may be reading too much into this, but it seems like there is a smell motif here, and the direwolf reaction to Tyrion provides a clue about it.

The torn fabric motif is what brought me to this forum and it still fascinates me. Here the direwolves rip Tyrion's sleeve and tear loose "a scrap of arm." We assume here that arm and sleeve are being used interchangeably, but GRRM is deft in his choice of words and in his use of injuries as meaningful symbols. We already saw Arya's direwolf grab Joffrey's arm. Tyrion has a relationship with Jaime, who will have the best-known arm injury. And the earlier chapter analysis in this thread helped me to realize that Tyrion may be symbolically linked to Donal Noye, who has lost an arm. Torn fabric may represent the tearing of the social fabric of Westeros; it also appears when people deliberately tear their own clothes to make bandages for healing, although I don't think there is anything about healing in this interaction between the wolves and Tyrion. On the other hand, maybe it is a very veiled allusion to the role Tyrion has already played in designing a saddle for Bran - he becomes something of a healer with that act.

In sorting out the direwolf attitude toward Tyrion, I found it useful to consider the upcoming attack on Maester Luwin. I think Tyrion's vast book learning and his life of suffering as an "outsider" have allowed him to occupy a unique role as an expert on the magical (he knows about dragons and employs wildfire) and the scientific (he forges the biggest chain in the seven kingdoms, even if it's not around his neck). We may know more about the magic vs. science (or, possibly, magic vs. religion) conflict when we learn about the Citadel in the upcoming book, but the direwolves come from the magical world and they may see Tyrion and Maesters as threats to their secret realm.

[mee aar dun wee wee]

My version just says "tearing loose a scrap of cloth "

[Harlaw's Book the Sequel]

I missed this part about Summer seeing all there was to see the first time around. Another nod to Bloodraven perhaps, or maybe the Weirnet.

Thinking back to Bran I and II, Summer's observant nature makes him a good match for Bran. And Bran being so observant may be a factor in why Bloodraven chose him to be his successor.

My version just says "tearing loose a scrap of cloth "

You're right, please accept my apologies. This is what I get for typing and editing down in a rush.

Behind Rickon is Shaggy following. IIRC this is the first time we actually learn Shaggy’s coloring. Now he’s black with eyes like green fire. I too think of wildfire (I guess everyone, who ever read the whole series, thinks immediately of it), and it seems to fit. Shaggydog IS the wildest wolf of the litter as we will see many times in the future chapters. Somehow I also have to think of Ned’s brother Brandon, when I read the description of Shaggydog. Brandon was called the wild wolf and it seems he was a ferocious guy, even though we don’t know all about him. Might Rickon become the new Brandon?

To make it even more interesting, the kid that shares Brandon's name might have the least in common. I've always liked how often in ASOIAF someone will be named someone, but they'll either be completely unlike their namesake or be like them in unexpected ways.

I like that note. Yes I think you’re right. But I think it’s not so unusual that a younger sibling is able to see what parents don’t want to see. I guess as a parent you want to support your child so you don’t point out his/her flaws, while as brother/sister you don’t have the same responsibility so your critic has a different impact.

To be fair to Cat, I think by the time she sees Robb again, he'll have grown into the role a little more, and she'll be witnessing his military decisions -the area he shines the most. But what struck me most about comparing how Cat and Bran see Robb is that Cat constantly goes back and forth between groaning at how young Robb acts and being impressed with how lordly/kingly he is. With Bran (in this chapter at least), I don't see him being very impressed with Robb the Lord. Though Bran's negative opinion may stem from Bran's unhappiness that Robb the Lord has replaced Robb the brother.

As mentioned by others and in the discussion of the last chapter, it seems that all Starks have become “lone wolves” at this time in the story.

Ned is alone among the Small Council, Sansa and Arya may be both in KL jet still they are alone, Cat is travelling without family on the Kingsroad and Jon’s at Castle Black. And in Winterfell?

Bran may have his brothers with him yet still he feels alone. He’s no longer able to share the time with his siblings and friends like he did before the fall. Robb has the burden of running the household in Winterfell and Rickon is a little boy, who lost all his companions.

And it will become even worse for them in the future.

Right, and we'll see how acting like lone wolves plays a role in the downfall of not just the Starks but all the ASOIAF families. The victorious families are the ones whose members are united.

I like your summary of Bran’s feelings Harlaw. I never saw it that way. Yes Bran is upset about different things, but it never seemed to me that he felt anger for Tyrion (unlike Jon in a previous chapter, who WAS angry about Tyrion’s words).

I didn't realize how emotional and distrustful Bran was during the scene until I was writing my analysis. It just goes to show you how dense with material these chapters are. This exchange "Nonsense, said Lannister. "With the right horse and the right saddle, even a cripple can ride." The word was a knife through Bran's heart. He felt tears come unbidden to his eyes. I'm not a cripple!" reminded me a lot Tyrion and Jon in Tyrion II.

I thought, that maybe it really is just Tyrion’s smell Summer doesn’t like but not Tyrion himself. Summer was at the tower when Bran fell, so he might have smelled Jaime’s odor on Bran. Even though they are not the same person, Jaime and Tyrion have the same parents and maybe they smell alike. I don’t know if that’s possible, maybe someone with knowledge of biochemistry could say something about that.

Maybe the answer is less scientific and more (dare I say) about love. Jaime is the person Tyrion loves best, and Tyrion will forgive him of almost anything. Perhaps the brotherly bond is what the direwolves sense? I hope this concludes the overly sentimental portion of the post.

This scene reminds me somehow of Sansa, when she was feeding Lady from the table. I imagine dinnertime was an interesting thing in the Stark-household during the time from Bran I to Jon I. Six kids and six direwolves at one table, I wonder how much food “disappeared” during dinner. :cool4:

Lol.

Thank you for a good analysis of this meaty direwolf chapter. This discussion of the wolf animosity toward Tyrion is particularly interesting to me and I'm glad I'm not the only one who hasn't fully sorted out the reason the direwolves instinctively dislike Tyrion.

I am struck by a couple of the details in the passage you site - Theon says that the direwolves don't like Tyrion's smell. Great literary irony and/or foreshadowing here, as we know that Theon will soon be the smelliest guy in Westeros, and proud of it. What does it mean to have a bad smell in GRRM's world? We also know that Tyrion's father will have a famously bad smell after his death - the stench of Tywin's corpse is the most dominant point in the description of his memorial service. I can recall two important points about Tyrion and smell: Tyrion was in charge of drains and cisterns at Casterly Rock - something his father assigned to him instead of letting him travel; Tyrion also loses part of his nose in battle. People tell Tyrion he is like Tywin - does that mean that, to a direwolf, he smells like his father? How is it that Tyrion undertakes the cistern and drain duty, performs the task well, and (at least when telling of this role from his youthful past) never complains about the filth and stench? I may be reading too much into this, but it seems like there is a smell motif here, and the direwolf reaction to Tyrion provides a clue about it.

Nice point about Theon, I was so focused on Bran and Tyrion, I almost forgot he was there. Considering this is the chapter with the remark (paraphrasing) "At least Hodor knows his name," there's a lot of Reek foreshadowing.

It's interesting how there is a lot of emphasis on not trusting appearance, but perhaps we should be trusting our nose. For some reason the Tyrion-Tywin comparison you made and the smell connection reminds me of Bran I when Bran thinks the direwolf corpse smells of corruption.

In sorting out the direwolf attitude toward Tyrion, I found it useful to consider the upcoming attack on Maester Luwin. I think Tyrion's vast book learning and his life of suffering as an "outsider" have allowed him to occupy a unique role as an expert on the magical (he knows about dragons and employs wildfire) and the scientific (he forges the biggest chain in the seven kingdoms, even if it's not around his neck). We may know more about the magic vs. science (or, possibly, magic vs. religion) conflict when we learn about the Citadel in the upcoming book, but the direwolves come from the magical world and they may see Tyrion and Maesters as threats to their secret realm.

I hadn't thought of it terms of magic vs. science, but that makes sense too. You've made me think of something more broader, which is Tyrion's presence may have caused Bran to go down a path the direwolves (and by extension Bloodraven) don't want him to take. Tyrion questions Bran a little about the fall. If there had been more time to delve into the subject, it's possible Bran's memory could have been jogged. Or Tyrion just in general being around may have changed Bran, an example being hardening the skepticism Bran felt early in the chapter about the Three-Eyed Crow.

[Lord Eaglesteel]

Hey people

Just want to compliment on this excellent thread! Took me quite some time to catch up, and I don't need dreams or prophecies to see an angry boss with my internet history in my near future :)

Just started my own second reading of agot and the direwolfs got my full attention, they are just awesome!

On the Tyrion matter at hand:

I think the wolves sense the anger in their masters and the person it is directed to. But just like the boys they are unsure of the reasons and the level of real danger. If they knew Tyrion would hurt the Starks they would just rip him apart, instead they do a very cautious attack without really harming Tyrion. To me it's like they are awaiting a reaction from either Tyrion or a Stark. It's somewhat like a playful fight that they would also have with a new wolf just to test if he's submissive or wants to challenge the alpha-male, a bit of nibbling to test the waters.

Summer starts the attack which is not strange. You may think it's Robb who is angry and Grey Wind should lead the attack. But I had the feeling Robb was just playing a new role here: that of angry lord. All he has against the Lannisters is a suspicion from his mother that Jaime might have pushed Bran. He has no real issue with Tyrion, he just wants to let go some of his anger, show his teeth, just DO something instead of waiting. Grey Wind doesn't immediately pick up on this. I think Like Robb he is good at fighting, he's strong and fast but doesn't excel in more subtle battles. Neither does Robb, as he demonstrates right here showing naked steel and thus giving away his hostility while he should have pretended to have no issues with the Lannisters. Cat underlines this later: she admires how Robb handles battle planning but doesn't trust him with the Frey negotiations that she does herself.

Now look at Bran who is not just watching the hostility but is part of it:

Bran could sense the anger in the hall the moment that Hodor carried him through the doors. I'm sure Summer sensed the same, he was just identified as the smartest of the litter who saw all there was to see. On top of that Tyrion called Bran a cripple, obviously nobody had said that to his face. The word was a knife through Bran's heart.

His anger is far more real and stronger than Robb's. I think a small boy hardly get any angrier than when he feels he's being treated unfair and is completely powerless to do anything about it. You may remember such a moment in your own childhood where all you could do was stamp your feet (oh... no pun intended Bran) and hold back tears. Physically incapable and lacking the emotional maturity to bring it to words and reply, the inability to fix the situation making you even angrier than the original injustice done to you.

Summer won't be able to grasp this either so he sees no immediate danger but knows Tyrion has hurt Bran. That is enough reason for Summer to engage Tyrion and his pack will follow. Yet I do think the signals from both Bran and Robb are so mixed that the wolves cannot decide how much aggression is needed here.

I like to think that the wolves are maturing here just like their masters: acting on complex emotions. Their cub instincts tell them to attack but they also need more confirmation to go in full force...

On another note: do we see a bit of evil Starks here? They could have called back the wolves earlier but instead they give in to their dark side enjoying their new powers as Lords of Winterfell while Tyrion pisses his pants. There are plenty of people in asoiaf who are corrupted by power, I always thought the Starks were exempt from that...

[the conquering bastard 25]

If the wolves and their masters are two parts of the while then then talking about the wolves their masters are really talking about themselves.

Jon mentioning to Tyrion, that they were all afraid of Ghost and Tyrion responds wise boys. What the author is telling us is the boys were really afraid of Jon but Ghost was the out manifestation of said fear.

Interesting point was made about how in the north direwolves and bears are always first mentioned as something to be afraid of and fearful of. Yet I would draw attention to Bran and his arrival to the cave with BR. There is a niche with a direwolve and bear skull along with the skulls of CotF. What's interesting to me is that it appears these two animals appear to be natural allies and also known foes to man.

Tyrions thoughts about having to look up at Ghost when they last meets reminds me of first how Jon describes Tyrions shadow, as tall as a king. But if wolf and master are one could this mean that soon Jon too would overshadow him? Also the duality of personalities between Jon and ghost them being one whole makes me wonder how their relationship would be affected by a dragon bond. The beast makes the man more beast like while the man tames the beast. Yet Ghost and Jon balance each other. Also with GW andRobb, their wolves can do things and protect them in ways that because of their society they can't. Example GW and biting off Gjons fingers. Robb could have bared his steel giving Gjon reason to do the same, or he could have backed down which would have made him look weak. GWs actions allows his master to save face. The fingers get blame on GW and GJon is allowed to back down. While Robb is allowed to look fearless and unaffected by Gjons actions.So if Jon does ride or bond with a dragon how does that affect their bond. I already get the feeling if JS is revived or spends some time in side of Ghost that unless his will/spirit is Valyrian Steel strong he's coming out of this exchange harder for the wear. No more mister nice Jon Snow. His rep as far as Braavos is of the black bastard of the wall predeath. How much wilder and fierce is he to become.

As some one pointd out that the green and black motif of SDs coloring could hint at usurping, I'd like to draw everyone's attention to Jon and when get receives Longclaw. He thinks about how by staying on the wall not marching he's betraying his family. When he finallybmakes the choice to stay he mentally says a prayer may the gods forgive him for betraying Ned, Robb, bran and Arya. Never mentions Rickon or Sans a. Which in light of a certain will, the ides of Marsh, the tentious grip on power he has on the wall. He very well may leave the Watch and take up the mantle of lord/king of Winterfell. Politics have been nipping at JSs heels since he arrived at the wall. When Stannis showed up that changed the status quo and shifted the power. This is a side note but as many know GRRM has drawn from many different historical points to base his characters. I've long thought that one of Jons inspirations was Borgia's middle son the cardinal Valencia. He was made a cardinal around 17 and stepped down at the age of 20. Whats so remarkable was that he was the first cardinal to actively seek to be removed from the college of cardinals.Similar to how on the wall no one has ever gotten out of their vows except for death or beheading( for desertion)

What I would also like to point out about Tyrion Turing up at WF and the wolves reaction to Tyrion is they act as if they lack an alpha. Go back to the scene where Jon and Robb found the wolves.its Jon's words that win the day, followed by Robb cosigning for his brother agreeing with Jon, followed by Bran feeling gratitude towards Jon for saving them. But earleir in the chapter we are given a sense of how things play in the pecking order of the children. While Robb might be heir, its to Jon the younger children turn. Robb when talking to Cat about the situation at Winterfell mentions how Rick on follows him around all day and he can't figure out how to comfort him. In contrast after talking to Tyrion about the situation with Bra and asking for his help again showing he's their support, he tells Tyrion to tell Rick on he can have all of his things, he'll like that. So even from the Wall he knows how to help his younger sibling with the exception of Sansa. So while Robb has the offical title of Heir and alpha the true alpha of the pack is Jon Snow. His is the domanite personality while seemlykng playing in the background. Jon spoke like a true Alpha and then the second step up to follow out the order. When Tyrion make his appearances the wolves reaction show they are missing their alpha and whom was really the second, Summer.

[Franziska]

This exchange "Nonsense, said Lannister. "With the right horse and the right saddle, even a cripple can ride." The word was a knife through Bran's heart. He felt tears come unbidden to his eyes. I'm not a cripple!" reminded me a lot Tyrion and Jon in Tyrion II.

Yes, it has similarities. The difference is the character of his “victims”. Especially in AGOT Jon is a very impulsive person (until Bran IV, he was at least four times angry), while Bran is a calmer character. So it is easier to connect Jon’s anger to Ghost’s attack than Bran’s feelings to Summer’s behavior.

Maybe the answer is less scientific and more (dare I say) about love. Jaime is the person Tyrion loves best, and Tyrion will forgive him of almost anything. Perhaps the brotherly bond is what the direwolves sense? I hope this concludes the overly sentimental portion of the post.

The thing with the smell was just an idea and not the best. I think, I like the version of “Angry Bran” better.

[RainGhost]

Interesting analysis, Harlaw, of a fascinating direwolf chapter.

“In the yard below, Rickon ran with the wolves. Bran watched from his window seat."

I agree with the comments about all the Starks becoming lone wolves. Robb, Bran and Rickon are all children but only Rickon is still able to run and play like a child. However, Grey Wind and Summer play in their masters’ places, so at this stage Rickon is happy because the wolves act as substitutes for his brothers. This also makes me think back to the exchange between Sansa and Arya on the Trident where Lady and Nymeria do not play together.

"Shaggydog ran at his heels, spinning and snapping if the other wolves came too close. His fur had darkened until he was all black, and his eyes were green fire."

Shaggydog being black makes him somewhat of an outsider in the pack, same as Ghost. This is also highlighted when Shaggydog growls at Grey Wind and Summer if they get too close to Rickon. Does he truly believe his pack brothers will harm Rickon? Then we see Shaggydog fighting with Grey Wind over a bone. It’s only ever Shaggydog who fights the other wolves. What this means for Rickon’s future I don’t know but he’s already kind of an outsider because he’s too young to be influenced much by his parents.

"Bran’s Summer came last. He was silver and smoke, with eyes of yellow gold that saw all there was to see. Smaller than Grey Wind and more wary. Bran thought he was the smartest of the litter.”

I agree with this being a hint to Bran’s future greenseeing abilities. Again, Bran mirrors his direwolf. I think Bran probably is the smartest of the Stark kids, especially when you take his age into account, and he is warier than Robb, not that Robb’s reckless. I don’t think Bran is necessarily critical of Robb in this chapter but he does demonstrate how observant he is. He can tell that Robb’s out of his comfort zone (which he can later empathise with when he’s the lord in Winterfell at an even younger age). Also, he can’t make sense of Robb’s behaviour because he doesn’t know about Catelyn’s suspicions.

"…the wolves came on. Their eyes found Lannister, or perhaps they caught his scent. Summer began to growl first. Grey Wind picked it up. They padded toward the little man… ‘The wolves do not like your smell, Lannister,’ Theon Greyjoy commented. ‘Perhaps it’s time I took my leave,' Tyrion said. He took a step backward…and Shaggydog came out of the shadows behind him, snarling. Lannister recoiled, and Summer lunged at him from the other side. He reeled away, unsteady on his feet, and Grey Wind snapped at his arm, teeth ripping at his sleeve and tearing loose a scrap of cloth.”

Summer attacking first parallels the fact that Bran is the first threat to the Lannisters when he witnesses the twincest. Grey Wind (Robb) is the one who actually attacks and Shaggydog (Rickon) is the threat from behind that they don’t see.

I originally thought that Summer growls first because he (or Bran) somehow link Tyrion to Lannister and to Bran’s fall but I like Lord Eaglesteel’s idea of it just being because Bran’s angry and upset. This would fit in with Ghost’s attack on Tyrion and also Summer’s later attack of Jojen. Grey Wind’s role here mirrors Robb’s role: Grey Wind attacks Tyrion because he’s looking out for Summer and Robb denies Tyrion guest right to protect Bran. I’m undecided on whether Shaggydog is backing his brothers up or whether he just likes the excuse to get involved in a fight. Poor Rickon has no idea what's going on but must surely feel the tension. I also can’t help but wonder whether Lady would have backed up Nymeria on the Trident. Surely she would? As to why the wolves don’t go full out attack mode, I think it’s because Tyrion wasn’t actually threatening to kill the Stark kids at the time.

It’s also worth noting that Rickon tells Shaggy to come ‘home’. I think the idea of home is very important to Rickon because he loses everything that represents home, except for Shaggydog. The wolves clearly like Theon’s smell at this point and trust him and he’s proud of that. As for Lord Eaglesteel’s idea of 'evil Starks', I think there is an element of that (Robb overdoes the aggression towards Tyrion). I also don’t think it’s surprising that it’s Bran who calls them off first and entreats Rickon to call off Shaggy. Bran’s the peacemaker, the sweetest and gentlest.

[Julia H.]

Excellent analysis, Harlow's Book. I enjoyed reading all the comments, too. Very good points.

Lord Eaglesteel, welcome to the boards and especially to this thread!

On Shaggydog’s colours:

Great observations on usurpation and wildfire. Rickon does seem to be wild, and when he returns, he will probably find himself in the middle of an inheritance conflict.

I have just one observation to add – while black is obviously the opposite of white, which puts Ghost and Shaggydog at the two extremes of the direwolf colour scale (cf. also green and red), it is also interesting to note that Shaggydog seems to be the only direwolf whose fur is not Stark-coloured (not grey or white). Given that Rickon will leave Winterfell at a very young age, he won’t be able to receive the standard Stark upbringing and values. Could that imply that he will be a very different Stark or that he might eventually start a cadet branch of the family, which will take a different name?

The direwolves and Tyrion:

Tyrion has a rough time when it comes to direwolves. Already during his stay in Winterfell he seemed to be unsettled by their howling. We know that his friendship with Ghost did not come easily. Now the remaining direwolves of Winterfell attack him. As it has been pointed out, the attack (especially considering the involvement of three direwolves) is nothing like the way Summer dealt with the assassin in Bran’s bedchamber. Yet, it is an attack. Why? And why is it always Tyrion?

I think we can safely conclude that the direwolves, while able to sense imminent danger, probably cannot foresee the more distant future. After all, if they did, they would probably kill Theon. Nor do they seem to react to the attacked person’s inner thoughts and emotions, at least Tyrion has not come to Winterfell with hostile feelings. So I agree that it is probably the Starks’ feelings that they sense. In this respect, the direwolves could be a sort of manifestation of the inner self or the subconscious, the hidden emotion or knowledge a person has, which is not always consciously acknowledged. That could also include the “darker” aspects of the Stark personality.

It is Rickon who lets the direwolves loose in the presence of the guests and he is the last to call Shaggydog “home”. Is this reference to the fact that Rickon has the hardest time keeping his instincts in control? Of course, it is not necessarily just his personality – a child of his age does not know what tact is.

However, it is Summer that starts that attack – allegedly the smartest of the direwolves. Why? He may simply act on Bran’s feelings, of course. That may be sufficient explanation. Yet, I keep wondering… We never see Summer’s reaction to Jaime or Cersei Lannister (though we know that Cersei is unnerved by direwolves). We know that Summer tried to stop Bran from climbing on that fatal day and he probably saw him fall. Does Summer “know” who were up there when Bran fell? Summer could not see Jaime and Cersei though and probably could not hear them either. But then again, Bran probably knows what happened that day. He does not actively remember, but the subconscious knowledge must be there, deep down, suppressed. If the direwolves’ actions are based on the Starks’ thoughts and emotions, is it possible that Summer has access to this hidden knowledge, too? If he does and if he identifies the Lannisters as a “pack”, then Tyrion is registered as “enemy”. Robb’s suspicion, Bran’s resentment and Rickon's frustration will obviously reinforce this notion. Of course, we still have the fact that there was no known attack on Jaime or Cersei while they were in Winterfell, but in those days Summer was busy keeping Bran alive, and he may not have had access to subconscious information while Bran was in coma – and by the time he came to, the Lannisters had left.

It is an interesting thought that the direwolves may be behaving as though they lacked the real alpha of the pack and that in this situation it is Summer that takes the initiative. I wonder if it could have anything to do with the fact that Summer (besides being the smartest) has already killed a man (when Bran was attacked) so he has actual experience of fighting people.

Summer is the wolf to attack first, but Bran is the Stark that calls his wolf back first. Hm. Robb calls back his wolf only after Bran has done so.

Considering all the dog versus direwolf discussion, what’s the implication for the Last Hero having a dog with him?

My feeling is that the "dog" is a stand-in for direwolf there.

[Lord Eaglesteel]

Can I throw in a quick question not directly related to this chapter:

I see a lot of comments around this forum saying things like the Starks are wargs or at least they were. There was some mention of it here while discussing the crypts. I only read the asoiaf books and can't think of any prove for this statement, is it mentioned in awoiaf or some of the prequel books??

Also is there a clear definition of warg/skinchanger? Like Bran is obvious, but is Sansa one as well?

I'm not completely sure on etiquette on these reread threads, so sorry if this is considered off topic. :dunno:

[Julia H.]

Can I throw in a quick question not directly related to this chapter:

I see a lot of comments around this forum saying things like the Starks are wargs or at least they were. There was some mention of it here while discussing the crypts. I only read the asoiaf books and can't think of any prove for this statement, is it mentioned in awoiaf or some of the prequel books??

Also is there a clear definition of warg/skinchanger? Like Bran is obvious, but is Sansa one as well?

I'm not completely sure on etiquette on these reread threads, so sorry if this is considered off topic. :dunno:

According to A Wiki of Ice and Fire, "A skinchanger is a person with the ability to enter the mind of an animal and control its actions. It is much easier for a skinchanger to do so if a bond exists between the two parties. A skinchanger able to enter the mind of a wolf or dog is known as a warg."

I don't think we can say that all Starks are wargs (nothing indicates that Ned is one, for example), but we know that the warging ability is very strong in the current generation - Bran, Jon and Arya have clear warging abilities. We don't have POV's from Robb or Rickon, so in their case we can only guess, but the bond between them and their direwolves seems to be quite strong, too, so it is likely. Sansa apparently loses Lady before a real warging relationship could develop between them (Arya does not seem to warg Nymeria before ACoK, IIRC), so again we can only guess what would have been. We know that Lady and Sansa share certain attitudes and behaviour patterns at least.

The direwolves' statues in the crypts of Winterfell may imply that there were wargs earlier among the Starks as well, and Jon's words to Ned in the first chapter also suggest that there is a special relationship between direwolves and House Stark:

"Your children were meant to have these pups, my lord."

[The Wolves]

^ GRRM has said that all 6 of the Stark children are wargs and their power varies.

Robb, Jon, Sansa, Arya, Bran, and Rickon are all wargs.

[Eiko Dragonhorn]

Maybe I missed it, but I'm surprised no one has mentioned that Tyrion had a pretty solid suspicion that his siblings were involved in Bran's accident and he didn't tell Bran.

I'd say that puts him against Bran/Starks and gives Summer a reason to attack.

Also for the arm thing...

Ned says:

A direwolf will rip a man’s arm off his shoulder as easily as a dog will kill a rat.

He reeled away, unsteady on his feet, and Grey Wind snapped at his arm, teeth ripping at his sleeve and tearing loose a scrap of cloth.

I'd say it's practice for Grey Wind as later on he really seems to want to prove Ned right.

From a while later in GoT:

The Lannisters must have thought the Others themselves were on them when that wolf of Robb’s got in among them. I saw him tear one man’s arm from his shoulder, and their horses went mad at the scent of him.

[Lord Eaglesteel]

^ GRRM has said that all 6 of the Stark children are wargs and their power varies.

Robb, Jon, Sansa, Arya, Bran, and Rickon are all wargs.

Thanks that's definitive then :)

Guess we can only speculate on earlier Starks, though I start to think it's the wolves who brought the warging, not the Stark-blood. Just need to find the proof now :)

According to A Wiki of Ice and Fire, "A skinchanger is a person with the ability to enter the mind of an animal and control its actions. It is much easier for a skinchanger to do so if a bond exists between the two parties. A skinchanger able to enter the mind of a wolf or dog is known as a warg."

Cool fact!

[mee aar dun wee wee]

Are there any instances of a person with targ blood meeting a direwolf? If tyrion is a secret targ could the direwolves sense this and that's why they attack him?

Eta. Just thought I suppose Jon snow might fit in to the targ blood category, but it's still got me thinking

[ornitorrinca]

Are there any instances of a person with targ blood meeting a direwolf? If tyrion is a secret targ could the direwolves sense this and that's why they attack him?

Eta. Just thought I suppose Jon snow might fit in to the targ blood category, but it's still got me thinking

Well, Maester Aemon was a Targaryen. I looked quickly just now and (correct me if I'm wrong!) it seems the only time that Ghost and Aemon are definitely in the same room in a POV is Jon XII in A Storm of Swords, right after he reunites with Ghost. That being said, it doesn't seem like they're physically close together. Other times, Ghost is mentioned before or after a conversation between Jon and Aemon and, so, he may have been present but we don't know for sure. Their paths probably would have crossed during the time Ghost spent at Castle Black before Aemon went south with Sam, but again, there seems to be no direct confirmation of this. I was expecting to see them together, though, so it's actually pretty intriguing that they're really not in any scenes together. I guess it's something worth thinking about as this direwolves re-read progresses.

Also, I've caught up on this re-read and I wanted to show my appreciation for all the insight so far, and to say that I'm looking forward to reading your future analyses!

[Avlonnic]

Thanks that's definitive then :)

Guess we can only speculate on earlier Starks, though I start to think it's the wolves who brought the warging, not the Stark-blood. Just need to find the proof now :)

Cool fact!

Wow. I just found this thread today. I love it. I posted something recently about this very scene when Tyrion returns to Winterfell a few days ago without realizing this was here.

Just a note that the World Book (page 137) tells us that chronicles found in the Nightfort document the war for Sea Dragon Point, "wherein the Starks brought down the Warg King". They killed the males and beasts and took the daughters as prizes. It is possible that the ability to warg entered the Stark bloodline along with the incorporation of the Warg King daughters. Or this may have strengthened any latent ability the Starks had. ETA: typing

[Julia H.]

Welcome to the reread, Eiko Dragonhorn, Ornittorinca and Avlonnic! :) I look forward to seeing you taking part in our future discussions.

Wow. I just found this thread today. I love it. I posted something recently about this very scene when Tyrion returns to Winterfell a few days ago without realizing this was here.

Just a note that the World Book (page 137) tells us that chronicles found in the Nightfort document the war for Sea Dragon Point, "wherein the Starks brought down the Warg King". They killed the males and beasts and took the daughters as prizes. It is possible that the ability to warg entered the Stark bloodline along with the incorporation of the Warg King daughters. Or this may have strengthened any latent ability the Starks had. ETA: typing

That's a very interesting detail, thanks for bringing it up!

We are somewhat behind schedule, but finally here's the next chapter:

Jon IV

Overview

Samwell Tarly arrives at Castle Black and starts his training. At the end of the chapter, Jon calls him a brother.

Observations

- “Lord Snow” shows definite leadership qualities in his new pack.

- There are several ways to make friends / to win people over.

- Jon’s crypt dream and Sam’s childhood memories: painful recollections of homes that were – or may never have been.

Analysis

Life at Castle Black

Jon cherished the rare afternoons when he was sent out with Ghost ranging at his side to bring back game for the Lord Commander’s table, but for every day spent hunting, he gave a dozen to Donal Noye in the armory … <snip>

That afternoon, the watch commander sent him to the winch cage with four barrels of fresh-crushed stone, to scatter gravel over the icy footpaths atop the Wall. It was lonely and boring work, even with Ghost along for company, but Jon found he did not mind.

Ghost apparently keeps Jon company whenever possible. Life at Castle Black is certainly busy, and it seems Jon and Ghost enjoy the same activities (like hunting). :)

The world was full of cravens who pretended to be heroes; it took a queer sort of courage to admit to cowardice as Samwell Tarly had.

A wise observation - there are different types of courage and facing our own weaknesses is not the least of them.

Sam and Ghost

The fat boy’s eyes widened at the sight of Ghost. “Is that a wolf?”

“A direwolf,” Jon said. “His name is Ghost. The direwolf is the sigil of my father’s House.”

Sam, the self-confessed craven, is surprised but obviously not scared at the sight of a direwolf. This may imply either that he is not quite so craven as he believes himself to be or that he trusts Jon, the boy who protected him, to the point that he does not even mind his direwolf. Or both. (He does look suspicious for a moment when Jon invites him to go outside, but he follows Jon nevertheless.)

I love how Jon immediately explains the presence of Ghost with the fact that the direwolf is the sigil of his father’s House. As though it made everything perfectly obvious, LOL. (We don’t really see other people walking about with the live versions of their sigils following.) I will come back to this observation later.

As Sam starts crying…

Jon Snow could only stand and watch. Like the snowfall on the barrowlands, it seemed the tears would never end.

It was Ghost who knew what to do. Silent as a shadow, the pale direwolf moved closer and began to lick the warm tears off Samwell Tarly’s face. The fat boy cried out, startled… and somehow, in a heartbeat, his sobs turned to laughter.

Once again, Ghost is likened to a shadow, pale and silent. Once again, he acts in reaction to Jon’s emotions, expressing what Jon cannot express, only, unlike in Tyrion’s case early on, here Ghost shows sympathy and compassion rather than suspicion or anger.

Once again, it is worth noting that Samwell, though startled, isn’t really afraid of the huge direwolf.

Jon Snow laughed with him. Afterward, they sat on the frozen ground, huddled in their cloaks with Ghost between them. Jon told the story of how he and Robb had found the pups newborn in the late summer snows. It seemed a thousand years ago now. Before long he found himself talking of Winterfell.

Once again, Ghost’s presence promotes communication, understanding and friendship between Jon and another human being. As they are talking about the pups found in the snow, they are sitting on frozen ground, but they have broken the ice between them. It is Jon who opens up first and starts talking about Winterfell and telling Sam about his crypt dream, a very personal experience.

The Crypt Dream

Above, Jon explained Ghost to Sam as “the sigil of his father’s House”. I think his answer to Sam reveals that he indeed sees Ghost as his connection to House Stark and his father the Lord Stark, as proof and reminder of his Stark identity, as a sign that he was also “meant” to have a direwolf by the gods. It may be worth keeping this in mind in relation to Jon’s Winterfell crypt dream.

In his dream, the halls of Winterfell are always empty, and he is looking for his family members in vain because he never finds anybody, even the animals are gone.

“And then I find myself in front of the door to the crypts. It’s black inside, and I can see the steps spiraling down. Somehow I know I have to go down there, but I don’t want to. I’m afraid of what might be waiting for me. The old Kings of Winter are down there, sitting on their thrones with stone direwolves at their feet and iron swords across their laps, but it’s not them I’m afraid of. I scream that I’m not a Stark, that this isn’t my place, but it’s no good, I have to go anyway, so I start down, feeling the walls as I descend, with no torch to light the way. It gets darker and darker until I want to scream.”

Jon’s Stark identity is clearly ambivalent. He knows he is not a Stark, yet he has received a direwolf just like the true Starks, and he identifies Ghost as not just a pet animal but as the sigil of his father’s House. In his dream he screams he is not a Stark as though this acknowledgment could save him, but it’s no good. Despite the denial, he is still Stark enough to have something to do with the Winterfell crypts, he is Stark enough for whatever is in the Stark crypts to have power over him. He has Stark blood if not the Stark name. The old Kings of Winter with their stone direwolves are in the crypts, but it is something else Jon is afraid of.

He stopped, frowning, embarrassed. “That’s when I always wake.” His skin cold and clammy, shivering in the darkness of his cell. Ghost would leap up beside him, his warmth as comforting as daybreak. He would go back to sleep with his face pressed into the direwolf’s shaggy white fur.

Ghost is comfort and security, Ghost is warmth in the cold, Ghost is compared to dawn overcoming the darkness.

There is a lot of speculation about what Jon will find in the crypts of Winterfell once he completes that journey in his dream or in reality, and it has been predicted that it is the secret of his birth. If that is what he is subconsciously afraid of, screaming that he is not a Stark sounds like giving up the quest, admitting to the uncomfortable truth before it is thrown into his face, in the hope of being able to avoid truly facing it. It does not help though, since what he has to learn is not only that he is not a Stark – it is also that he is still a Stark, on his mother’s side.

What comforts him is not only an ordinary pet animal, as is noted above, but the sigil of House Stark, the proof of his Stark identity.

Another thing to note is that Ghost knows that Jon needs comfort – as Jon wakes up shivering and perhaps screaming, Ghost leaps up beside him, offering immediate comfort.

Brothers

Jon will not let anyone hurt Sam, and he knows how to convince people:

Jon persuaded some, cajoled some, shamed the others, made threats where threats were required. At the end they had all agreed … all but Rast.

Isn’t it interesting that Jon knows how to convince people – except those who are not willing to listen to any arguments?

Hours later, as the castle slept, three of them paid a call on his cell. Grenn held his arms while Pyp sat on his legs. Jon could hear Rast’s rapid breathing as Ghost leapt onto his chest. The direwolf’s eyes burned red as embers as his teeth nipped lightly at the soft skin of the boy’s throat, just enough to draw blood. “Remember, we know where you sleep,” Jon said softly.

Here Ghost actively helps Jon to achieve a goal. He knows exactly just what to do to scare Rast without hurting him too much – even though he draws blood, he refrains from doing anything more, a surprising feat of discipline in the case of a predator animal.

Embers are a form of fire, so this is one instance where Ghost’s eyes are compared to fire rather than blood, although blood is also mentioned in the scene.

Robb and Bran and Rickon were his father’s sons, and he loved them still, yet Jon knew that he had never been truly one of them. Catelyn Stark had seen to that. The grey walls of Winterfell might still haunt his dreams, but Castle Black was his life now, and his brothers were Sam and Grenn and Halder and Pyp and the other cast-outs who wore the black of the Night’s Watch.

“My uncle spoke truly,” he whispered to Ghost. He wondered if he would ever see Benjen Stark again, to tell him.

There is a subtle difference between “his father’s sons” and “his brothers”. Jon has accepted his new pack, where his place is not a given from the start but won. Yet, even on the Wall, it is difficult to entirely leave behind his Starkness. It is another Stark, Benjen, who Jon identifies with when he confesses his new allegiance, and it is a direwolf, “the sigil of his father’s House”, that he confides in. And perhaps it is just well: Although a black brother must leave behind his family and his former allegiances, I think the NW actually needs a Stark who can also remember.

[Seams]

Jon IV

Life at Castle Black

The world was full of cravens who pretended to be heroes; it took a queer sort of courage to admit to cowardice as Samwell Tarly had.

A wise observation - there are different types of courage and facing our own weaknesses is not the least of them.

Sam and Ghost

The fat boys eyes widened at the sight of Ghost. Is that a wolf?

A direwolf, Jon said. His name is Ghost. The direwolf is the sigil of my fathers House.

...

I love how Jon immediately explains the presence of Ghost with the fact that the direwolf is the sigil of his fathers House. As though it made everything perfectly obvious, LOL. (We dont really see other people walking about with the live versions of their sigils following.) I will come back to this observation later.

As Sam starts crying

Jon Snow could only stand and watch. Like the snowfall on the barrowlands, it seemed the tears would never end.

It was Ghost who knew what to do. Silent as a shadow, the pale direwolf moved closer and began to lick the warm tears off Samwell Tarlys face. The fat boy cried out, startled and somehow, in a heartbeat, his sobs turned to laughter.

Excellent analysis, Julia H.! You have highlighted so many threads that become important to Jon's story, and helped me to become more aware of Ghost's central role in the motifs and symbols surrounding Jon.

I feel fairly certain that GRRM shows Jon gathering his new brothers and/or "wolf pack" around him in a way that symbolizes his personal growth. Each new friend or former enemy or ally represents Jon's maturing sense of self. For instance, Benjen tells Jon he is "green" when he is new to the Night's Watch. Soon Jon overcomes and befriends Grenn (green) and Pyp (a pip is a seed and we know seeds are important from Jon Arryn's "The seed is strong," to the role of the pomegranate - sigil of Bowen Marsh - in Jon's story). Later, Satin, Leathers and Horse become some of Jon's "go to" guys in the Night's Watch, with Satin probably representing Jon's sexual awakening, Leathers representing his identification with the wildlings and Horse representing his sense of freedom (or, perhaps, his lingering temptation to run from his NW commitment).

As you demonstrate here, Sam is immediately Jon's closest friend, brother and ally. The importance of Jon and Sam's bond is demonstrated by Sam and Ghost's immediate comfort with each other. Sam is so important and complex that he may represent a few aspects of Jon's growth but this chapter highlights his innate fear of the NW life that has been thrust upon him. In the early pages of the first book, Eddard teaches Bran that fear is an essential sign of bravery:

Robb says the man died bravely, but Jon says he was afraid.

What do you think? his father asked.

Bran thought about it. Can a man still be brave if he's afraid?

That is the only time a man can be brave, his father told him.

Jon and Robb do not recognize that fear and bravery go together at the point the Bran is schooled by Ned, but maybe the friendship with Sam shows that Jon has now learned that lesson.

I think it's also deliberate that GRRM constantly uses the word "craven" in connection with Sam. Lord Mormont has a pet raven, and Jon now has a pet craven - along with his pet direwolf. Members of the Night's Watch are known as crows, but a raven is bigger than a crow, and it talks a bit and carries messages in this world. Maybe the points you highlighted in this good analysis, about Jon referring to the direwolf as his father's sigil, show that Jon is now adopting his own sigil at this moment. Or, at least, amending the direwolf sigil by adding his own symbol to it. And that sigil may be Sam the Craven = Raven.

The Crypt Dream

Above, Jon explained Ghost to Sam as the sigil of his fathers House. I think his answer to Sam reveals that he indeed sees Ghost as his connection to House Stark and his father the Lord Stark, as proof and reminder of his Stark identity, as a sign that he was also meant to have a direwolf by the gods. It may be worth keeping this in mind in relation to Jons Winterfell crypt dream.

...

Ghost is comfort and security, Ghost is warmth in the cold, Ghost is compared to dawn overcoming the darkness.

Even if the craven/raven becomes a symbol or an aspect of Jon's maturation, the direwolf remains central to Jon's daily life and his growth as a character in the larger narrative. I can't remember if it was earlier in this discussion or in another discussion where we noted that the white wolf may represent the white cape of the King's guard that surrounds and defends the king of Westeros. Your focus on Jon's introduction of Ghost as the sigil of his father's house brought to mind another scene late in Jon's story that may help to explain Ghost's role:

The Shieldhall was one of the older parts of Castle Black, a long drafty feast hall of dark stone, its oaken rafters black with the smoke of centuries. Back when the Nights Watch had been much larger, its walls had been hung with rows of brightly colored wooden shields. Then as now, when a knight took the black, tradition decreed that he set aside his former arms and take up the plain black shield of the brotherhood. The shields thus discarded would hang in the Shieldhall....But when a knight died, his shield was taken down, that it might go with him to his pyre or his tomb....

At the wall, sigils of a brother's former family are represented by their retired shields. If ghost is the Stark sigil, he may function as Jon's shield (although I realize Jon had never been knighted). Jon's description of this dining hall in his last ADwD POV seems super significant in connection with his crypt dream, in my opinion. There is a very good thread discussing the relationships of a few dreams by major characters, all of which are crypt and feast-related dreams: http://asoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/topic/112729-a-feast-for-the-dead-a-snow-in-the-tombs-a-dream-in-dust/ It will probably be important to analyze the Shieldhall as a symbolic feast location in relation to the feast and dream motifs and the images they present for life and death.

There is a lot of speculation about what Jon will find in the crypts of Winterfell once he completes that journey in his dream or in reality, and it has been predicted that it is the secret of his birth.

Brothers

Robb and Bran and Rickon were his fathers sons, and he loved them still, yet Jon knew that he had never been truly one of them. Catelyn Stark had seen to that. The grey walls of Winterfell might still haunt his dreams, but Castle Black was his life now, and his brothers were Sam and Grenn and Halder and Pyp and the other cast-outs who wore the black of the Nights Watch.

My uncle spoke truly, he whispered to Ghost. He wondered if he would ever see Benjen Stark again, to tell him.

There is a subtle difference between "his father's sons" and "his brothers". Jon has accepted his new pack, where his place is not a given from the start but won. Yet, even on the Wall, it is difficult to entirely leave behind his Starkness. It is another Stark, Benjen, who Jon identifies with when he confesses his new allegiance, and it is a direwolf, the sigil of his fathers House, that he confides in. And perhaps it is just well: Although a black brother must leave behind his family and his former allegiances, I think the NW actually needs a Stark who can also remember.

The Jon IV analysis you presented provides a good piece of evidence to contradict Jon's observation in ADwD "Like so much else, heraldry ended at the Wall." He has introduced Ghost as a sigil of his father's house; Many people refer to Lord Commander Mormont as "the Old Bear;" Dolorous Edd makes a remark about pomegranates after an encounter with Bowen Marsh. Even if they are not wearing their sigils, NW brothers who are from noble families are identified with their old allegiances. It also seems significant that each shield is returned to the Night's Watch man when he dies - showing that the connection to the Night's Watch ends at death? This could be particularly significant for Jon's story.

(I don't know what the etiquette is on repeating points made in other threads - I apologize if I am repeating myself too much. Julia H.'s good analysis here hit on so many points I have been trying to clarify that I can't help bringing them back into the discussion here. I also want to share a blog link someone recommended on another thread, and that I found extremely enlightening about the use of sigils at the wall and in Jon's story arc in particular. It presents a theory about wildling sigils and Jon's family history, so don't read it unless you want to gain a potentially enriching insight into a future plot point: http://branvras.free.fr/HuisClos/Queen.html.)

[Franziska]

First of all. Thanks for your analysis Julia.

One little thing caught my eye in Ned last chapter.

All through the dark hours he kept his vigil alone. When dawn broke over the city, the dark red blooms of dragon’s breath surrounded the girls where they lay. “I dreamed of Bran,” Sansa had whispered to him. “I saw him smiling.”

I also never paid much attention to Sansa’s dream of Bran. Somehow I have now the feeling, that it was not just some dream, but something more. Even with Lady lost, Sansa is a skinchanger, so it could be some kind of greendream. But this is Ned’s POV, the man who does not pay attention to signs and dreams, so we obviously don’t get more information about Sansa’s dream.

He could think here, and he found himself thinking of Samwell Tarly… and, oddly, of Tyrion Lannister. He wondered what Tyrion would have made of the fat boy. Most men would rather deny a hard truth than face it, the dwarf had told him, grinning. The world was full of cravens who pretended to be heroes; it took a queer sort of courage to admit to cowardice as Samwell Tarly had.

I think one of Jon’s best character traits is his ability to learn. Even though he is stubborn and arrogant (and I guess he will always be, but everyone has his flaws), he’s not deaf to other peoples help. He’s willing to adapt someone’s advice, when he sees sense in it.

I love how Jon immediately explains the presence of Ghost with the fact that the direwolf is the sigil of his father’s House. As though it made everything perfectly obvious, LOL. (We don’t really see other people walking about with the live versions of their sigils following.) I will come back to this observation later.

:lmao: You’re right. I never saw it that way.

Once again, Ghost is likened to a shadow, pale and silent. Once again, he acts in reaction to Jon’s emotions, expressing what Jon cannot express, only, unlike in Tyrion’s case early on, here Ghost shows sympathy and compassion rather than suspicion or anger.

I see it the same way. Ghost is linked to Jon’s feelings, may they be pleasant or not. I guess in future chapters you could go even farther and say that Ghost is also Jon’s “moralizer” by showing him, where his place is (e. g. when Jon tries to desert or after Stannis’ offer).

“Stop it!” Jon snapped angrily.

The other boys fell silent, taken aback by his sudden fury. “Listen to me,” Jon said into the quiet, and he told them how it was going to be. Pyp backed him, as he’d known he would, but when Halder spoke up, it was a pleasant surprise. Grenn was anxious at the first, but Jon knew the words to move him. One by one the rest fell in line. Jon persuaded some, cajoled some, shamed the others, made threats where threats were required. At the end they had all agreed… all but Rast.

As Julia mentioned before, here we really see Jon acting as the leader/alpha wolf. One “snarl” and his packmates back up in bullying the newest member.

Even more, Jon may not be the most pleasant person, but he has a remarkable skill with other people. He knows exactly how to get, what he wants. Even with people like Rast.

Side note:

Somehow I wonder how much about Jon’s actions already reached Mormont. Mormont himself later claims he didn’t become Lord Commander for being blind. I’m sure Thorne will complain about the recruits disobedient behavior in Mormont’s presence, I at least would. So… Jon you’re watched.